Members of parliament held an emergency debate on Trump’s anti-Muslim travel ban at the House of Commons Jan. 31 and Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen says Canada needs to get its own house in order before questioning another country’s policies.
Viersen said the federal government was informed by the U.S. administration that the travel ban would not affect any residents of Canada who held dual-citizenship with any of the seven Muslim-majority countries affected — Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Libya.
Viersen added he did not think it was an issue in his constituency.
“The United States can secure its borders as they see fit but Canada should get its own house in order with respect to how we deal with refugees and if we are going to take them into our country, we ought to be doing so in the best possible way,” he said.
Viersen said the Opposition is upset with the federal government’s decision to cap private refugee sponsorships at 1,000 in spite of evidence that these are more successfully integrated into Canadian society than government sponsorships.
And the federal government plans to process 40,000 refugees in 2017.
“We believe Canadians are generous people and if they are willing to donate their time and money to sponsor refugees around the world, why should we put a limit on that? Instead, they [federal government] are placing emphasis on a government-sponsorship program that puts responsibility 100 per cent on the taxpayer’s shoulders.”
Viersen said he believes private sponsorship is the best method.
“We know from past years that government sponsored refugees are less successful than their privately sponsored counterparts, that the majority of those taken in last year still have not found employment and most of them are still living in hotels,” he said, adding privately sponsored refugees are properly vetted before being granted admittance.
“I know there is a church group in the Barrhead area that is doing what they can to get their own privately sponsored refugees in and they are having a difficult time of it. It is frustrating to hear the government say such great things about their program and yet they are limiting the generosity of Canadians.
An executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump Jan. 27 suspended entry for refugees fleeing six Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and indefinitely suspended Syrian refugee immigration.
